Rotary grain dusting machine



Sept. .9, 1941 H. J. KEMP ROTARY GRAIN DUSTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Oct. 10, 1938 I/Wenfor H. J. Kemp .7M

Sept-9, 1941. H. J. KEMP ROTARY GRAIN DUSTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Shet 2Filed Oct. 10, 1938 Patented Sept. 9, 1941 U-NlTED STATES E T nr OFFICEROTARY GRAIN DUS-TI-NG MACHINE Harold J. Kemp, Swift Current,Saskatchewan,

- Canada 3 Claims.

This invention relates tov improvements in grain dusting machines and anobject. of the invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which is entirely automatic in action, power forthe operation of intimately mingling the seed grain, with organicmercurial dust being obtained by the gravitation of the grain from thehopper and throughthe machine.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which provides for a rotating fan or paddle wheel,the same being actuated by falling grain, the purpose of same beingfurther to disperse the dust which is discharged from the dust dispenserabove and so mingle it with air and thus efiect a more complete and moreuniform contact of grain with dust.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which is equipped with means for automaticallymeasuring successive quantities of seed grain and chemical dust.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which is equipped with a rotor divided into anumber of peripheral compartments, to each of which a quantity of grainfalls from the hopper, thereby rotating the rotor.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described wherein the rotor shaft rotates my chemical dustagitating and discharging mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which is provided with means for varying thequantity of grain discharged from the hopper and means for cutting offthe supply of grain from the hopper.

A further object of my invention is to provide a bridge within my maindelivery hopper to take the weight of the grain thereabove so that themomentum of the discharge will be the same for, a small quantity ofgrain. within the hopper as for a large quantity.

With the above more important objects in View, and such other minorobjects as may appear as the specification proceeds, my inventionconsists essentially in the arrangement and con struction of parts all.as hereinafter, more par ticularly described, reference being. had tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of my machine taken from one side thereof.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of my machine taken iii from one of the two sidesat right angles to the side illustrated in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of my hopper discharging. mechanism.

Fig, 4 is a perspective illustration of my dust container and dustagitating and discharging mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of an alternative mechanism fordischarging dust from my dust container.

Fig. 6 is a section upon the line 66 of Fi ure 5.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in th different figures.

My rotary seed grain dusting mechanism is mounted within a framework Aconsisting essentially of four corner verticals I suitably braced byhorizontal angle bars 2, 3 and 4, extending between each of the twopairs of verticals l and further angle bars 4 and 4, 5 and 5 whichextend between the members 2 and 3 and are secured at their endsthereto.

At the apex of the framework and extending downwardly therebetween beingsecured to the verticals I, is my hopper 6, the hopper being suppliednear the exit aperture 1 thereof with a bridge 8 of the configurationclearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings accompanying thisapplication to take the weight of the grain within the hopper.

Extending around the exit aperture of my hopper is a rectangular flange9, the exit aperture being also rectangular. To two of the oppositesides of the flange 9, I secure a pair of angle tracks Ill slidablealong which are flanged plates II and I2. The plate II is provided atits outer end with a downturned portion I3 which serves as a hand, gripfor moving it along the tracks it while at the outer end of the plateill, I provide an upturned portion i4 provided with a central tappedorifice through which extends a screwthreaded shank l5,'at the outer endof which is a handle 16.

The inner end of the shank rotates within an aperture formed centrallyupon the side IT of the flange 9, collars l8 being provided to preventend-shiftable movement of the shank l5 through the side H. The outer endof the shank [5 passes through an aperture formed in a cross member [9which spans the ends of the angle tracks 10, the handles it being keyedto the shaft upon the outer side of this member.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the detail just describedpermits of manual adjustment of the size of the aperture through whichgrain from the hopper 6 may pass as the plate l2 will be moved to leftor right upon rotation of the handle I6 while the plate II can be drawnto left or right manually.

Furthermore, by the means just described, the aperture 20 may beadjusted to the requisite amount to the right of top dead centre of therotor 2| with respect to Figure 1 of the drawings accompanying thisapplication to carry out the operation later to be described.

The means by which grain in my hopper is initially opened up and themass scattered for dusting is the element 2| in the form of a rotorwhich is contained within a large rotor housing 22 of the configurationclearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings accompanying thisapplication, the top edges of the housing being provided with flanges 23around which extend mating flanges 24 of a slidable cover 25, the coverbeing provided at one end with a handle 25 for the purpose of effectingmanual sliding movement. The cover portion 21 of my rotor housing isgenerally made integral with the housing itself although the same may beslidable if desired and in connection with this portion, it will benoted that the edge 28 thereof is considerably offset with respect totop dead centre of my rotor.

Below my rotor housing is my mixing and discharge chamber 29, the rotorhousing and discharge chamber being secured to the angle irons 4, 4 and5, 5'. The main spindle 30 upon which my rotor turns is journalled inbearings 3| secured to the members 4 and 4. The rotor itself consists ofa pair of polygonal plates 32 and 33, a cover extending all around theperiphery of each plate, one edge of the cover being secured to theperipheral edge of each plate so that the rotor is enclosed and is infact practically a cylinder. Each of the flattened portions 34 of theperiphery of the rotor are formed into compartments 35 by the provisionof short upstanding walls 35 radiating from the centre of the rotor andfrom the foregoing, it will be seen that as grain gravitates downwardlythrough the exit aperture 1 of the hopper 6, the rotor will turn in aclockwise direction with respect to Figure l of the drawingsaccompanying this application due to the fact that the aperture is setto the right of top dead centre of the rotor.

Upon the outer end of the shaft 35, I provide a sprocket 51, saidsprocket being keyed to the shaft, a sprocket chain 38 passing aroundthe sprocket and proceeding around a larger sprocket 35. The right handupper portion of my rotor housing 22 is cut away as shown most clearlyin Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings accompanying this application toreceive a dust container 40, the dust container resting upon brackets 4|formed if desired, out of a portion of the wall of the rotor housing. Mydust container is provided with a removable cover 42 and is providedwith a sliding plate 43 at its base, this plate being formed with anelongated rectangular aperture 44 and a convenient handle 45 for manualsliding movement. The plate 43 slides upon flanges 46 through which themercurial organic dust or other chemical dust falls in the manner laterto be described.

The sprocket 39 is keyed to a shaft 4'! which extends through the sidewalls 48 and 48 of my dust container, being journalled therein and uponthis shaft, is mounted for rotation an elongated four-sided paddle 49 ofthe configuration clearly illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawingsaccompanying this application. An eccentric cam 50 is secured upon theshaft upon the outer side of the side wall 48 and above the shaft 41 andalso extending through the side walls 48 and 48 and journalledthereupon, i a secondary shaft 5|. Upon the outer end of this shaft is ayoke 52, the ends of which engage with the cam 59 from which it will beseen that as the shaft and consequently the cam rotate, the shaft 5|will be oscillated.

Attached to the shaft within the container and extending over the paddle49, I provide a wire agitator 53 of the configuration clearlyillustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings accompanying this applicationand as the shaft 5| oscillates in the manner previously described, itwill be clear that this agitator will move through a small arc both withrespect to the portions 54 and 55 thereof.

The interior of my dust container is provided with a semicircular falsefloor 56, the false floor being provided with a number of alignedperforations 51 through which'dust may fall through the aperture 44 inthe plate 43 when the same is thrust inwards, and below the false floorportion 56, I provide a sliding element 58 angled upwardly at its outerend as at 59 for the purpose of metering the dust through the apertures51, the element 58 consisting of a strip of flat bar provided with aplurality of aligned apertures 65 of the same size as the apertures 51and arranged immediately therebeneath.

A bracket 6| is secured upon the outer surface of the side wall 48'extending outwardly and downwardly and being provided at the loweroutwardly projecting end with a set screw 62. The set screw is free torotate in the aperture formed in the base of the bracket 6| beingprevented from end-shiftable movement at this end by a collar 53, theupturned portion 59 of the element 58, however, being provided with atapped orifice through which the shank of the set screw extends, fromwhich it will be obvious that as the set screw is turned, the element 58will be moved to the right or left so that the apertures 60 therein maybe moved into or out of vertical alignment with the apertures 51.

Journalled in the side walls of the rotor housing, in the outwardlyprojecting portion 64 immediately below the dust container 40, is ashaft 65 which rotates a set of vanes 66, the right hand vane when inhorizontal position being immediately below the line of apertures 51 sothat dust falls onto them from the dust container. These vanes, however,are rotated in an anti-clockwise direction due to the flow of grain uponthe left hand paddle with respect to Figure 1 of the drawingsaccompanying this application and as this member is rotated rapidly, itwill be seen that dust is flung in a trajectory upwardly and to the leftso that it mingles intimately with the grain falling from thecompartments 59 at this point. The grain now proceeds on downwardlythrough my mixing and discharge chamber 29 which is generally ofrectangular configuration consisting of four vertical side walls 61.

A number of battles in the form of staggered bridges 68 and chutingplates 69 extend across within this chamber between the side wallsthereof, the arrangement of these baffles being clearly illustrated inFigure 1 of the drawings accompanying this application, this being in myopinion, the arrangement of baffles and plates which most effectivelycompletes a thorough admixture of dust with the grain before itdischarges into a bag or upon the floor below the discharge chamber.

In Figures and 6 of the drawings accompanying this application, I haveillustrated a slight modification in my means for agitating the dustwithin the container ii! and for preventing bridging therein, and inthis case, I am able to dispense with the cam 50, the shaft 5! and theyoke 52, the paddle 10 in this embodiment being comparatively narrow andprovided with a plurality of short radiating blades H upon itsperiphery.

The paddle is, however, secured to a shaft 12 which is rotated by thesame means as the shaft 41 and it will be noted by reference to Figure 5of the drawings accompanying this application, that upon either side ofthe paddle proper, I provide cylindrical extensions 13 around whichextends a plurality of wire or light metal spiral elements 14 and 14',each of these two elements being opposed with respect to the directionof spiral. The end of each spiral is secured either upon the peripheryof the portions 13 or to the outer ring formed by the side of thepaddles l0 and each element extends outwardly to the wall Q8 and 48'. I

In this embodiment, the container is formed with a floor-portion 15which may or may not be of semicircular configuration, an aperture 16being provided therein immediately below the paddle. aperture 18 capableof alignment withthe aperture 15, extends beneath the floor 14, thiselement being provided with an upturned end portion 19 and capable ofactuation by a similar means to that described for actuation of theelement 58 in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 ofthe drawings accompanying this application.

By inspection of Figure 6 of the drawings accompanying this application,it will be seen that the element 11 is held in place by means of anelongated and angulated base plate 80 secured to the base portion 8| ofthe container, the portion 8i being provided with an aperture 82 invertical alignment with the aperture 16.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a device forthe intimate admixture of chemical dust with seed grain'whereby the flowof the grain downwardly through the hopper actuates a metered dustsupply in a simplified, ingenious and adjustable manner and by means ofwhich the various parts may be easily cleaned.

Since various modifications can be made in the above invention, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of same, made within the scopeof the claims without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it isintended that all matter contained in the accompanying specificationshall be interpreted as illustrative only A sliding element Tl providedwith an and not in a limiting sense and I desire only such limitationsplaced thereof as are specifically expressed in the accompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A machine for coating with dust the constituents of a granular massof material comprising in combination, a mounting structure, a hopperhaving a gravity discharge aperture therein and designed to contain saidgranular mass positioned at the apex of said mounting structure, arotatable mass scattering element below said hopper, a dust containerprovided with a dust discharge aperture adjacent the periphery of thescattering element, dust dispensing mechanism within said container anda rotatably journalled dust dispersion member adjacent said massscattering element and below said dust discharge aperture, the gravitydischarge aperture being horizontally ofiset towards the dust containerwith respect to a vertical line through the axis of the mass scatteringelement, said granular mass being free to gravitate through said gravitydischarge aperture and by its weight actuate said mass scatteringelement towards said dust dispenser, dust dispersed by said dust dispersion member commingling with, and coating the granular mass scatteredby said element.

2. A machine for coating with dust the constituents of a granular massof material, comprising, in combination, a framework, a hopper securedto the apex of said framework, a housing secured to said framework belowsaid hopper, a rotor within said housing below said hopper and designedto be rotated by the gravitation of grain from said hopper thereonto,said rotor consisting of a Z-flanged drum having a multiplicity ofshallow, radial partitions extending between said flanges to form amultiplicity of material receiving compartments, a dust container anddust dispensing mechanism associated therewith adjacent said rotor, saiddust dispensing mechanism extending into said container, means foractuating said dust dispensing mechanism upon the rotation of said rotorand a rotatably journalled dust dispersion member adjacent said dustcontainer.

3. A machine for coating with dust the constituents of a granular massof material, comprising, in combination, a framework, a movable massscattering element mounted within said framework, a housing surroundingsaid element and a dust container having a discharge aperture, a freelyjournalled multi-bladed dust dispersion member rotated by materialscattered by said element, said member being positioned adjacent thedischarge aperture of said container, dust being precipitated upon therotating blades of said member as the sam is being rotated, to comminglewith, and coat with dust, material scattered by said element.

HAROLD J. KEMP.

